EUR 27.4 million from EU for reform of education in Serbia

Assistant to the minister of European Integration at the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Branko Budimir, and the head of the Directorate-General for Western Balkans, Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, signed an Agreement on the EU's support to Serbia's education system on Wednesday, September 27, 2017, in Brussels.

The signing of the Agreement, by which the European Union has set aside EUR 27.4 million in grants as support to reforms of the education system in Serbia, was attended by Minister of European Integration of Serbia Jadranka Joksimovic and European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn.

Joksimovic pointed out that there was no development without good education and that the total economic and social progress of a state depended on well educated people and an education system connected to the labor market.

She said that both Serbia and the EU wished for an end to economic migrations and young people's leaving the country, which, as she said, is a consequence of the fact that Serbia educates too many profiles which are unable to find jobs in the labor market of their own country.

Serbia, as she specified, received EUR 27.4 million for programs which will enable teachers to adapt the courses and plans to the needs of the labor market, so that Serbia could have a quality, relevant education system, in line with it strategy of education until 2020.

The funds will be used to harmonize the education system in Serbia with the needs of the labor market, for professional development of the teaching staff and for aiding the education of the most vulnerable minority communities in the country, the press release says.

Ministarstvo za evropske integracije Republike Srbije

Vlada Republike Srbije

EU Directorate General for Western Balkans

Agreement on EU support to Serbian education system

education system of Serbia

Branko Budimir

Genoveva Ruiz Calavera

Jadranka Joksimovic

Johannes Hahn